Aftermath
by kanshou87
Summary: Written for DreamSTraderS challenge. Contain minor spoiler for latest manga chapters. Zero found himself in the arms of an unexpected person after he attempted suicide. The hunter learned that there is more than meets the eye...


Aftermath

A/N: My first attempt on the Kiryuu twins one-shot songfic. The theme for this fanfic is dream, based on DreamS TraderS Cosplay fic challenge. I got the inspiration to write from one of Adam Lambert's angsty song, Aftermath.

Disclaimer: VK characters are solely Hino-sensei's. Aftermath is solely the property of Adam Lambert and the recording company. I'm just using them for my fanfic.

Warning: Spoiler chapter 49.

* * *

~Have you lost your way?  
Livin' in the shadow of the messes that you made  
And so it goes  
Everything inside your circle starts to overflow…~__

"Go ahead and take a break, Zero. I'll go and report the mess we have dealt with to the headquarters," Kaito spoke casually to his partner as he strolled out the academy grounds. Playing babysitter with Zero was a pain in the neck. The elder hunter had reluctantly accepted the Hunter Association's orders to watch the ex-human closely. The silvered haired hunter had bad record and a huge bounty hanging on his head – a human turned vampire who was suspected for the murder of Shizuka Hiou, the mad pureblood that claimed to be hiding on the grounds of Cross Academy a year ago.

Since the incident at the Peace Conference two weeks ago, Zero reappeared in the hunter's watch list. As much as the association despised to offer any backup to the ex-human, they could not afford to lose him. The hunter was too valuable of a bait to be handed out to their enemy. Zero was the only connection left that they had to probe into the vampires' affairs, now that the Senior Vampire Council had completely been obliterated by the Kurans.

Zero just stared blankly into space as before he retreated back into the main building. He could feel a surge of dark aura enveloped him, making him suffocating…

_Oh no… Not again… _

.

~ You feel the weight

Of lies and contradictions that you live with every day

Wanna scream out…~

Zero clutched his throbbing head and slumped down a nearby pillar. He took in labored pants, trying to suppress his growing hunger. Somehow, Sara Shibuki's words had triggered the bloodlust within him. His slid his hands into his overcoat, franticly searching for blood tablets.

_[Have you lost your human side, hunter?] _

_/Maybe, I have… I don't know it myself.../_

Zero popped a couple of pills into his mouth and chewed. They tasted like chalk…

/It's not enough… I need more… **her** **blood**…_ /_

_//That's right, Zero… Got and get her… After all, only pureblood's blood could satisfied your thirst now...//_

_/_No, I won't kill her. I'm not a monster… I'm still …_**human**_.../

_//Are you sure, Zero? Do humans kill for their pleasure? Do they devour the flesh of their flesh?//_

_/No…it's not like that! I have no choice… Ichiru, he… /_

_//Excuses, excuses… Don't you remember that night when you took his life away? Did you forget the incredible sensation as you bled your brother to death and fed upon his lifeless corpse?//_

_**/ **_**SHUT UP! GET OUT OF MY MIND! /**

He closed both his ears; squeezing his teary eyes trying to will away the mocking words and cruel laughter from his mind…

_._

Zero didn't know how long did he lay down on the cold slab. Nor he realized the dull aching pain from his severed wrists. He had cut them an anti-vampire dagger that he kept at his waist.

Blood flowed through the gashes, smearing the hard surface with dark crimson before disappearing into the grassy ground. A bouquet of carnations was not enough to seek redemption from his hideous deeds.

He needed to suffer…

If blood and pain was things that he could offer to give peace for his brother's soul, he would gladly do it...

_After all, I'm a monster… I'm not human…_

The hunter took out the dagger and slashed the wound deeper…

"Stop hurting yourself!"

"Ichiru? How?... Why?"

Zero stared in disbelief. His twin was in front of him, clasping his hands over the wound.

"Baka! Why must you always blame yourself for everything, Zero-nii? "Ichiru cried.

The next thing he knew, he was in his younger brother's arms. Logic told him that he was hallucinating. You can't bring the dead back to life, but the warmth that wrapped around his cold body was contradicting his thoughts…

Zero hugged him back. Oh, how much he had missed this feeling, this sense of belonging in the arms that he thought he had lost forever.

His twin was his other half of himself. Another part of him that he could not save since his birth…

"Ichiru, I'm so..so sorry. That night, I could have protected you but I chose to kill you instead. If there is anything that you want me to do to make it up to you…"

The elder twin practically had to choke his words out.

"Zero, haven't you followed what I had said to you since the day we parted? I told you that none of this was your fault. There was nothing to forgive in the first place. I had chosen this path myself, brother…"

"Still…I could have stopped you from choosing it. I failed you countless times. I was too oblivious to see emotion that clouded your heart, Ichiru. If not I would have saved you," Zero retorted.

Ichiru shook his head and cupped his elder brother's face gently.

"No, Zero-nii. My fate was sealed from the start. You, on the other hand, have a life ahead of you."

"What life do I have, Ichiru? I'm a walking time bomb. Give me a couple of years, the monster inside would take over and end my sanity."

"That's not true. That thing inside of you is controllable. You'll dictate whether it lives or dies."

"Ichiru… I.."

"Live on, Zero and fulfill your purpose."

The elder twin found his vision blurring out of a sudden.

"Ichiru? Wait, don't go…"

"Everything's gonna be alright, nii-san. Trust me, you're not alone…"

Those were the last words before Zero blacked out.

~Don't be afraid of what's inside  
Gonna tell ya you'll be alright  
Just remember you are not alone  
In the Aftermath~ 

.

Before you break you have to shed your armor  
Take a trip and fall into the glitter  
Tell yourself that you are beautiful  
To feel love,  
And be loved…. ~

"Zero? Are you awake?"

_That voice… sounds familiar…  
_

"Yuuki?"

"Yes, Zero. You were hurt so badly when Oni-sama found you. Were you attacked by vampires?"

Zero shook his head. He guessed that he must have passed out at his twin's grave with all the bleeding.

"Looks like you come around, Kiryuu-kun."

The young pureblood entered the hunter's sphere of vision. He pulled a chair and sat down beside Yuuki.

"Kuran Kaname.."

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you. Not while Yuuki's here," said Kaname with a slight tease.

"Oni-sama!"cried Yuuki embarrassingly.

Hearing his friend's laughter and feeling the presence of the two pureblood siblings in the room suddenly calmed him down. The ominous feeling was gone completely.

_Maybe this was what Ichiru was talking about. _

_My purpose. _

_My life. _

_My future is not a dream. _

~Just remember you're not alone~

_Its reality.._

_~In the aftermath~_

End.

A/N. Hope you like it! Please review! I would really appreciate it! 


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